This invention relates generally to a portable electronic device used as an auxiliary storage device for an information equipment, such as a memory card device, and also to a portable, electronic gaming device, and more particularly to a connection terminal and cover thereof.
As is known in the art, a portable electronic device or a slave device, such as a memory card device, may be used as a non-volatile storage element for holding data. The portable electronic device is inserted into an information providing apparatus, such as a video game machine acting as a master device, and receives information thereof for storage. The portable electronic device includes an interface for connection to a main body portion of the information providing apparatus.
FIG. 68A shows an illustrative block diagram structure of a memory card device as an example of the portable electronic device. In FIG. 68A, a memory card device 10 has a control circuit II for controlling the operation of the memory card device, a connector 12 for connecting the memory card device to a terminal provided in a slot of the main body portion of the information providing apparatus and a non-volatile memory 16 for holding data. Connector 12 and non-volatile memory 16 are coupled with control circuit 11. The control circuit comprises, by way of example, a micro-computer and the non-volatile memory comprises a flash memory, such as EEPROM, or the like by way of example. As a connection interface with the information providing apparatus, an additional micro-computer, or the same micro-computer as that used for controller 12, may be used to oversee the data transfer protocol.
FIG. 68B further shows a plurality of control items within controller 11 of memory card device 10. Here, the controller 11 has a connection interface 11A for connection to the main body portion of the information providing apparatus and a memory interface 11B for data input/output for non-volatile memory 16.
A conventional video game device, such as a home TV game device, stores game data or the like in an auxiliary storage device. The above-mentioned memory card device 10 may be used as this auxiliary storage device for such a conventional video game device. FIG. 69 depicts an example of such a conventional video game device 1 employing memory card device 10 as the auxiliary storage device. As shown, the video game device has a main body portion 2 housed in a casing. A disc loading unit 3 is positioned in a center area thereof and is adapted to receive an optical disc having an application program recorded thereon to be used by the video game device. Main body portion 2 of video game device 1 includes a reset switch 4 for optionally resetting the game, a power switch 5, a disc actuating switch 6 for actuating the loading of the optical disc, and in a preferred embodiment by way of example, two slots 7A and 7B. Memory card device 10, used as the auxiliary storage device, is inserted into one of slots 7A and 7B. A control circuit 19 (Central Processing Unit "CPU") of video game device 1 feeds information indicative of, for example, the results of a game being executed on the video game device. These game results are written to non-volatile memory 16 of memory card device 10 and may include score results, game position information so a user may restart a game at a desired location, or the like. Plural actuators (controllers), not shown, may also be connected to slots 7A and 7B so that plural users can simultaneously play combat games or the like, for example.
The terminal used for connection of memory card device 10 to the video game device is exposed to the outside of the outer casing of the memory card device. This terminal of the memory card device is coupled with an integrated circuit within the memory card device, for example. If a hand or finger of a user makes contact with the terminal, the integrated circuit of the memory card device may be electrostatically destroyed. Therefore, when not connected to an information providing apparatus, the terminal of the memory card device should be protected by a cover formed of an electric insulating material. However, a conventional cap type cover that may be mounted/dismounted from the outer casing of the memory card device is difficult to handle. Additionally, the cover may be lost when the memory card device is in use.
Although a rotary cover may be provided on the outer casing of the memory card device to protect the terminal thereof, this rotary type cover may have its supporting portion destroyed by an externally applied force. Moreover, this type of cover occasionally proves a hindrance during connection of the memory card device to the information providing apparatus. Also, if a rotary type lid is provided, and it is desired to reduce the size of the memory card device, the rotary type lid may take up a large part of the space of the outer casing of the memory card device. Thus, no space may be left on the memory card device to provide an actuator, display or the like.
It would therefore be beneficial to provide an improved electronic apparatus that overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art.